Reviews
UK Stylus Pressure by Graeme McGinty
July 2006
The very latest in new UK vinyl releases
Click here for Graeme's last column
by Graeme McGintySo it’s been a while since I’ve written a review, but that’s not to say the brit singles have stopped coming, and coming strong! In the last couple of months we’ve seen some great records from bands that have rocketed up thanks to a fair bit of hard touring. The Kooks have had some fantastic records, “Naïve” and “You Don’t Love Me”. The Automatic have also had some chart success with the recent single “Monster” and their previous single “Raoul”. Forward Russia gave us “Nine”, The Future Heads “Skip to the End”, all tracks that have had lots of air play and rightly so. There has also been the fun of Ladyfuzz and “Boucing Ball”, a glorious mix of indie eccentrics and crazy bubble gum pop. The 60’s tamla throw back from The Pipettes with “Your Kisses Are Wasted On Me” Each one worth checking out if you’ve missed them (in full review mode would have each gone to the top of the class).
So with this review I’ll try and keep it as recent as I can, and ignore the fact that I’ve been tardy in getting anything up sooner.
Hope Of The States - 'Sing It Out'
Label: Columbia
Web: www.hopeofthestates.co.uk
Release: 5/6/06
Rating: 
A quick chuggy verse, then bang into the catchy rock choruses. It’s a real indie disco sing along, destined to be a classic. The dark undertones of the goth choir noises laced under the chromatically building lead guitar lines around the middle give enough pause for breath before more jumping is demanded by that aforementioned chorus, even the cheap hand claps fit.
Vatican DC - 'Wow'
Label:-
Web: www.vaticandc.com
Release: 29/5/06
Rating: 
Filthy bass, piercing synth, distorted disco beats, and some dude shouting “whoo, hooo, whoo, whoo”. The song swaggers about the cocky attitude of rebellious teenager, but without the spitting. A bit like a dirty Mick Jagger. The sound is established and well produced with enough space to leave gaps between head nodding appreciation and all out disco dancing.
Larrikin Love - 'Ed Would'
Label: WEA
Web: www.larrikinglove.co.uk
Rating: 
So it’s not their most recent single “Downing Street Kindling”, which is a straight up indie punk record, but it’s worth a mention. Compared to their new single it’s as if it’s a completely different band. This song is a bit like the bastard son of a three way between The Libertines, The Levellers and some eastern European folk band, with the parents denying all knowledge of the conception at a musical swingers party. The chaotic clash between the guitars and the fiddle make it the record that people remember dancing to like a fool the following morning. A tune to spin round to.
Doloroso - 'High Times In Middle Management'
Label: Warner
Web: www.doloroso.co.uk
Release: 22/5/06
Rating: 
The tune has song reference points to high calibre bands like The Specials and The Clash. The off beat guitar slabs of noise, in true two tone fashion, are the stable points of this slightly sinister therimin-esque record. It’s got as much founding in old TV soundtracks (The Persuaders etc) as the punk reforms of the 80’s. 10 years ago the song would have sounded dated, but now it seems perfect timing to bring that sound back. The song may not be as accessible as tunes by the likes of the ordinary boys, but with out bands like them paving the way “High Times...” could well have been low times.
The Young Knives - 'She's Attracted To'
Label: Transgressive
Web: www.theyoungknives.com
Release: 19/6/06
Rating: 
For a website of British music what could be more appropriate than a song that uses the word “loo” in it? Of course “bog” would have also worked. Taking the subject matter of disapproving parents of your new girl/boyfriend has never been put better than “you were screaming at your mum and I was punching your dad”. A rough indie love song set in a punk infested suburbia. Didn’t Shakespeare write something about that?
Louie - 'Dead Man'
Label: Island
Web: -
Rating: 
A bit like The Buzzcocks, a bit like Supergrass, easy to pogo to. Two and a half minutes of pop punk fusion distilled to remove all that pointless build ups and progression. Just flat out from start to finish. A band that believes of taking the important bits and ditching the rest.
Soho Dolls - 'Stripper'
Label: filthy pretty
Web: www.sohodolls.co.uk
Release: 26/6/06
Rating: 
When pop was born it had a twin. This twin was identical, the only difference being it was evil. The Soho Dolls capture the dark and seedy, as pop catches the light and acceptable. The song is a like listening to a glam record through a fuzz box. The low pounding and drones may be close to some more mainstream marilyn manson records but this track is what rock and roll is about. The looks and the lifestyle. I’m very much looking forward to the follow up.
The Lostprophets - 'Rooftops'
Label: Pinacle
Web: www.thelostprophets.co.uk
Release: 26/6/06
Rating: 
I’ve got a soft spot for The Lostprophets. A few years ago their “Last Train Home” was a bit of a sound of the summer. This track looks set to possibly be the same. The rock that lives within us can surge to the surface and scream (“your heart out”) along with these lovely Welsh boys. The track plays like the beast it is and uplifts where it is required. If the song goes the distance over the summer will be determined if I can stop thinking about the similarities with KISS.
The Noisettes - 'Scratch Your Name'
Label: Genepool
Web: www.noisettes.co.uk
Release: 12/6/06
Rating: 
Although a Brit band, the influences seem to come from both sides of the pond. The gentle yet somehow aggressive vocals sit on top of some musically tight riffing. After so many bands recently banging out rough chords like that’s all there is, its good to hear some solid instrumentation and arrangement. It’s easy to draw comparisons to bands like the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs. Even possibly some early PJ Harvey stuff. However this band is slightly different, a band of musicians not just a talented vocalist over talented musicians. It all adds up to a prime number.
Robots In Disguise - 'Turn It Up'
Label: Cargo
Web: www.robotsindisguise.co.uk
Release: 6/6/06
Rating: 
This track comes panting from afar like an exhausted party night out only to be shot in the arm with adrenaline once the distorted beats mash in. This track rears its head with enough snarl to make it credible as an electro punk soundtrack for the wasted masses. The melodic glockenspiel are sweet and keep the track from becoming too much of a dirge. Sounds form the pixies to death in Vegas to the stooges keep the blood pumping in the tunes heart.
More next month!
GM
